


tell me pretty lies

by kayxpc



Category: All For The Game - Nora Sakavic
Genre: Andreil, Fluff, M/M, Post canon, mental health recovery
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-29
Updated: 2017-09-29
Packaged: 2019-01-06 17:55:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 754
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12215928
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kayxpc/pseuds/kayxpc
Summary: Andrew and Neil apartment shop after Andrew graduates.





	tell me pretty lies

**Author's Note:**

> @ Andrew Joseph Minyard I’D DIE FOR YOU

It was a little surprising that in all of Neil’s time ducking out of harms way he’d never been to New York City. New York, once when he was small, but never the Manhattan that he and Andrew were currently touring apartments in.

The city was packed with obnoxious people, dingy food carts and god awful smells. He never really cared for cities because it was too easy for his fathers men to slip beside him on the subway amongst the bustle. But the apartment wasn’t for him.

“Balcony,” Andrew commented as he walked through the beige, bare front room. The apartment was large, a bit over a thousand square feet. It had plenty of potential but Neil had a hard time imagining him here.

He hadn’t been in a very good mood because he wasn’t ready to lose him just yet. He needed a little longer. Andrew had said in not so many words that _this_ wasn’t going away. Neil had been having a panic attack. The last few months of the cousins moving, graduating, leaving – left Neil feeling lost and scared. He never imagined Andrew might feel the same.

At that thought, he tried to focus on the good. “Lots of space, too.”

The apartment was outrageously expensive, every square inch of New York was. The Rangers just so happened to pay an outrageous amount to sign him fresh out of college. And Andrew had a taste for luxury, Neil knew he deserved it.

Andrew didn’t acknowledge that from the bedroom but that wasn’t unusual. Neil leaned against the doorframe and watched him pull the chain to the closet’s lightbulb and look inside briefly. He was acting strange too but Neil hadn’t pressed him. It was a strange time for everyone. They were adjusting.

Finally, Neil wondered a little too loudly.

“What,” Andrew snapped, yanking the light off and walking over to him.

“What’s up with you?” He asked, unwilling to back down.

Andrew stared at him, hazel eyes flicking over his face. “Nothing.”

He moved to brush past him and into the main area again but Neil held his arm out tentatively. Andrew could have pushed him away easily.

“‘Drew, talk to me.” Neil said softly. Andrew considered his arm and then pushed it down, pressing his back into the opposite side of the doorway. Neil turned to face him slowly, his face open and unguarded. Andrew’s head was tilted back, throat exposed in a perfectly exploitable way, but Neil could see how he was struggling just to speak.

“Nicky leaves for Germany in two days.” Andrew finally said. “Aaron and Katelyn are moving in together and starting med school in the fall. Kevin is signing in Texas. Everyone is leaving.”

Neil never considered that and realized abruptly how selfish he had been. He was so preoccupied with the thought of Andrew leaving him that he hadn’t thought of the others leaving Andrew.

“You’re leaving too.” He was pointing out that life was moving forward and he was moving with it.

Andrew didn’t say anything for a long time. He held his hand out in question and Neil stepped forward so that it slid into his hair. They only touched there, Andrew thumbing through his silky curls in silence.

“I don’t know why I’m doing this.”

Neil raised a brow.

“Exy,” Andrew breathed. “I feel like... I don’t know what’s happening.”

Neil had never heard him start a sentence with “I feel.” It made him _feel_. Andrew had already come so far with his recovery and this— this conversation meant something.

“Your family loves you, you know.”

Andrew huffed and the spell was broken. He glared at him.

“In their own way. Just like you love them. And I love you, you know I do.” Neil stopped briefly, letting the weight of those words sink into both of them. He covered Andrew’s hand on his neck with his.

“And maybe Exy isn’t where you end up. But you’ll figure that out along the way. You are not alone, even though I’m seven hundred miles away. In a year, I’ll sign with someone and maybe... maybe we could live together. If you want. Or you could get a dog.”

Andrew twisted his hand around and clasped Neil’s wrist, squeezing gently. “You or a dog?”

Neil cracked a smile. “You can have both.”

Andrew pulled him closer, his weariness slipping away and his mouth so so close. After a long moment, he said “I’m more of a cat person,” and kissed him soundly.

 

**Author's Note:**

> I wish the words I love you weren’t made out to be so taboo between these two. I mean that’s just my opinion but I think after years of Andrew recovery that he could at the very least acknowledge that he loves Neil.


End file.
